Entre el Corazon y la Espada
by Duchess of Darkness
Summary: As the war rages on, Aizen sets into motion his newest plan to bring all Shinigami to their knees. And who better to make his scapegoat than Ichigo? Can enemies be allies? Will Grimmjow have the heart to save Ichigo? Or simply destroy him?  Dark mpreg
1. Parcelas Mal

_May. 19, 2011_

**Introduction**:

Hello everyone. To start, this is a rewrite to what was originally called "Heart Emphatic." I had written that story in March 2008. It's been a while since I last updated it, and frankly that's enough time to forget where I was going. So thus I decided to scrap the old and write a new one. The concept is still the same, but the execution is (hopefully) different. Improved, to boot.

Secondly, I should note that this has male pregnancy in it. No, Ichigo is not going to become a girl. No, he's not going to magically form a vagina. You have no idea who tired I am of seeing stories where people screw up his gender. No offense to the writers, but it's really not my cup of tea. So. This is probably not the mpreg you think it is. It's gonna be dark. Be prepared.

Thirdly, I actually dislike Aizen. There are certain aspects of him that make me think "WTF Tite Kubo." But luckily for you guys I'm not going to let my personal opinion distort his character. Hopefully, you guys will like my, er, interpretation of him for the story. I tried.

**Warning**:

I should note, in case you missed it, that this story is rated M for Mature. Certain events that occur in the chapters are not suitable for immature minds. This story is dark, as previously stated. If you are psychologically sensitive, please step back now. I will not be responsible for any disturbances you experience.

**Disclaimer**:

This is pretty standard, and I will only mention it once. The series Bleach and all affiliates are not my rightful possessions. While I may have purchased some of the merchandise, I do not claim rights to any of its official productions. The only thing I own here is my twisted plot to get two unlikely people hooked up and romping in the sheets with each other. And if you think that's illegal then I'll gladly claim myself as guilty as charged. Cause damn, those hotties just need to get in on! :D

Also, I should note that the beginning chapters will be very similar to the original series. If you haven't read those chapters or seen the episodes that they come from, that's fine. But please be aware that I've built off existing scenes in the first couple chapters of this story. With that, I am done blabbering. This will be the longest author's note you'll ever see in this whole story. Enjoy!

-x-

**Entre el Corazon y la Espada**

"**Between Heart and Sword"**

**Chapter I**

-x-

War. The stories of war were always written by the victors. Yet victory could not be predetermined. Battles could end in any manner despite whatever odds were placed beforehand. The underdog could best the veteran just as easily as the veteran could squash the underdog beneath his foot. To fight was like to gamble, and often the price to be paid was one's life. Ichigo Kurosaki demonstrated this fact well when he infiltrated Seireitei with his human friends to save Rukia Kuchiki. No one believed he would succeed, but again and again he surprised everyone by walking away from his battles the victor. No matter how badly he was beaten, no matter how many bruises painted his skin a hideous purpose, he held on to the thread of life with pure determination and clawed his way out from the grasp of death and failure.

When Sousuke Aizen first learned of Ichigo's existence, he hadn't been the least bit interested in him. Ichigo was no better than a fluke, a mere distraction to turn all of Gotei 13's eyes away from him. Ichigo had been nothing but a pawn to stir up chaos in Soul Society. If anything, Aizen considered him good entertainment, something he might watch during his pastime, like a game of sport, or a theatrical act. Never did Aizen consider him seriously.

While Ichigo indeed possessed remarkable raw talent, he was years too young to fully tap into his powers. Aizen was certain that when Ichigo came into his full powers, he would be sitting in his rightful spot in the heavens, a god amongst gods, greater than even the Soul King himself. And at the point, fighting with Ichigo would still be no more than another game. Whatever threat he posed would be nothing to bat an eyelash at. Being scared of him would be like being scared of an overgrown puppy. The bite might hurt, but it wouldn't kill him.

So when Aizen left Sokyoku Hill, leaving the boy beaten but alive, he wasn't the least bit worried about the future. He knew that whatever the boy dared to throw his way he could counter. But… just in case, he kept an eye on him anyway. Ichigo had a knack for surprising the best of them, and Aizen was not one to be caught unawares. He made it his hobby to keep tabs on the boy and watch his progress.

It surprised him, in a delightful way, when he saw evidence of the boy's awakening Vizard powers. Hollowfication. He knew instantly that was what the boy had gone through. As he recalled, Ichigo was supposed to have lost his Shinigami powers on the day that Rukia had been apprehended from the Human World. Her brother, Byakuya Kuchiki, and his lieutenant, Renji Abarai, had both gone to investigate the matters of report that had been put in her name. There they had learned of her treacherous crime, and of Ichigo's existence. If only Ichigo had died that day. If only Kisuke Urahara hadn't appeared upon the scene, coincidentally residing in the same town as the boy. If only Ichigo wasn't related to Isshin Kurosaki. If only.

Well, it was too late to dwell and regret now. Besides, being a Vizard added flavor to Ichigo's character and made him all the more unpredictable and entertaining. Being a hybrid of both Shinigami and Hollow opened up a whole new plane of possibilities. While Hollows themselves were ever evolving creatures, approximately seventy to ninety percent still unexplored, Vizard were even more than that. They were a rare breed, and who knew where their true powers lied, or what they even were. Who knew what would become of a Vizard when pushed to the limit. Pushed beyond.

The scientist in Aizen trembled with excitement and anticipation. His old experiments, back when he was still a lieutenant, were called up in his memory. He remembered the formulas, the subjects, the titillating satisfaction when the first Vizard was born by his own means. It was such a shame when his beloved experiments had disappeared. Alas, what was he to do when events had progressed as they had? He couldn't possibly risk losing his spot on the squad simply because of his desire to continue his experiments. Such a game had to be put on hiatus until he was ready to pick it up again.

Now was such a time. Though his original experiments were nowhere to be found (in truth, he knew where they were, but simply had no interest in playing with them again), a new toy had been placed before him. And Aizen had full intentions of playing with it to the point of breaking it. Maybe then he would give in to the notion to get rid of it.

But that was for some time to come. At the moment, Aizen had plenty of plans for Ichigo, one of which he had hopes of executing post haste.

Standing in the middle of the room, Aizen gazed upon the small tower that housed the Hogyoku. He swiped his finger upon the corner of the top disk, causing the tower spiral open and reveal the small sphere inside. Tempted, he reached out to touch it, pausing just before his finger made contact. The product was still incomplete, but that did not deteriorate its power. It had so much potential. There were so many things that could be done, even with like this.

Drawing his hand back, Aizen closed the tower and placed his hand upon the top, merely resting it there. He remained like this for a few moments until the sound of footsteps called his attention. Glancing over his shoulder, he spied Kaname Tousen just as he entered the room. The blind man was a faithful subject. Literally blind to all but his will. It was his strong point, as well as his most fatal flaw. Aizen enjoyed that level of devotion from him.

"Aizen-sama..."

Aizen's lips curled into a small, light smile. Despite being the leader of a bunch of Arrancar, with manners that were no better than common thugs and mafia syndicate, he never saw reason to lose that genial attitude of his. He enjoyed playing the role of a benevolent lord, though he was anything but. "Yes, what is it, Tousen? It's not often you see reason to visit me here."

The ex-Captain slowly shook his head. "That Szayel Aporro... ever since you have given him that task, he has shed needless blood. The stench of death is thick."

"Ah," Aizen murmured and turned his gaze back to the Hogyoku. Tousen was notorious for hating war. Many had wondered, especially Gotei 13's Seventh Division Captain: Sajin Komamura, why he would side with Aizen when he opposed needless fighting. A pacifist at heart, Tousen was a complicated man who pursued obscure paths to a simple goal. In his own way, Tousen was entertaining. "You will have to forgive him. He enjoys his experiments very much. He reminds you of someone we're both familiar with, doesn't he?"

Tousen's brows drew together. Aizen didn't have to turn to know the man had tensed at the memory of the Twelfth Division Captain, Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Though not quite as brilliant as his predecessor, he was a twisted man, cruel in his own experiments. His imagination was vast, and his pursuit for knowledge and understand was endless. No doubt his methods were often frowned upon by Tousen.

Stepping away from the tower, Aizen moved to the doors that stood just opposite of him. Catching the latch with his hand, he pushed it open and stepped out onto the balcony that curved out from the wall beneath his feet. The sky overhead was dark, as it always was. Las Noches. Night. Never did the sun shine here. Never did light permeate this dark and evil landscape. The joyous ray of hope had no place here.

He moved to stand at the edge of the balcony, resting his hand upon the railing. His eyes scanned the endless sea of sand that surrounded the white fortress, riddled with traps for any who might carelessly approach. "There is a method to the madness. Though his method may seem cruel, you must trust in his instincts."

Tousen stepped to the door of the balcony, keeping his distance. "I still do not understand why you have given him that task."

"I have my reasons."

"Yet why take such interest in that boy? What is so special about him?"

Aizen chuckled softly. "He's not special. I simply enjoy the idea of crushing him under my foot. Don't think too deeply into these matters, Tousen. I am a simple-minded man."

Tousen's brows knit together. He didn't look convinced, but he didn't offer a rebuttal. He knew better than to challenge Aizen, even when he lied so obviously.

Aizen continued to look up at the black sky that lay overhead. Clouds slowly drifted on by in a manner that was often viewed on lazy summer days. After a few long moments of silence, he spoke. "Tell Szayel I wish to see him later."

"Certainly." Tousen paused briefly before turning around to leave. He closed the door behind himself, leaving Aizen on his own, as he was before.

Aizen's lips slowly curled into a smile. He looked forward to seeing his plans set into motion. He could hardly wait to see how it unfolded. Would Ichigo surprise him? Would he throw a wrench in the gears, as he always did? Would he prove to be entertaining once again?

Aizen moved to enter the room again, closing the balcony door behind him. He crossed the room to stand by a table where several documents lay. These were the results that Syzael had offered him previously to peruse. He traced his finger down the edge of one page. Soon, he would be able to play. Soon, he would be able to have some real fun.

-x-

Szayel Aporro Grantz was in midst of watching a low-level Arrancar writhe and shriek in pain when a knock came to the door. Irritated, his brows drew together as he glanced over his shoulder. "What is it?"

The door opened and Medazeppi stepped into view. He grunted and pointed behind him, revealing Tousen who stood just beyond the entryway. Szayel sneered. Medazeppi was by far the stupidest of lab assistants. He followed his commands well enough, but he couldn't talk, and his tolerance to pain was practically nonexistent. If Szayel so much as slapped his hand, he didn't doubt the overgrown baffoon would start wailing like a babe. He hated him with all his heart.

Turning yellow ochre hued eyes toward the blind Shinigami, Szayel just barely refrained from scowling. He waited impatiently to learn whatever it was the man wanted.

Tousen didn't waste his time. "Aizen wants you to report to him."

Szayel made a sound of disdain. "I see. Fine then." His scorn was not directed at Aizen, however, but Tousen. Aside from Aizen, Szayel hated all Shinigami. In fact, he hated many Arrancar as well, but they were more tolerable to have around at least to some extent. But Shinigami were disgusting. Having to talk to one was beyond distasteful for him.

He turned his back on Tousen and returned his attention on the Arrancar who was now spitting blood. Poor soul, she had no chance of living, but Szayel held no compassion for her. She was annoying to begin with, which was more than enough reason to use her as a test subject. If she was lucky, she would prove useful; if not, then it was no skin off his back. He would just find someone else more capable.

Raising a brow, he watched as she curled in on herself, holding her midsection as if she feared her innards from spilling out onto the floor. What an absurd thought. She would no more likely spill her innards than grow a second head from her ears. But... she might produce another head from between her thighs.

Gesturing to two of his other assistants, Szayel mumured, "Restrain her." He lightly bit the corner of his lip, quite curious to see what she might produce. So far she was the most receptive of the drug. All others before her had rejected it in one fashion or another, and most had died almost immediately after administration. Very few could withstand its effects for very long. It took many trials to tweak the drug so that it didn't put too much strain on the body. While Szayel had little compassion for the subjects he was destroying, he knew that the final product could not be so harsh and unrefined. Aizen would not approve of his carelessness.

Granted, there was no way he could extract all the flaws from the drug in the short amount of time Aizen had given him to create and perfect it. There was still a chance that even if it harvested well in this most recent subject it could still damage the host Aizen originally meant it for. He hoped Aizen wouldn't fault him if there were any... complications. He couldn't help it if he was rushed. And actually, he hoped he got to see what happened if there were. It would be most interesting to run experiments on the test subject.

The female Arrancar cried and screamed herself hoarse, jerking against the chains that were slapped down on her wrists and ankles. Two pairs of hands held down her shoulders and hips, though that did litlte to persuade her from continuing her squirming. As her eyes rolled to the back of her head, she choked on a gasp as pain rippled through her body.

She seized, her body freezing. She remained like this for a long moment until suddenly she collapsed against the ground. Szayel's eyes widened slightly, almost certain she had died, just like the rest, but then his eyes caught movement within her lower abdomen. A spark of surprise and excitement woke in his chest. Could it be...?

Something pushed from within the Arrancar's stomach. It pushed and shoved, as if it wished to break free of its confines. The Arrancar made no move, seemingly unconscious. Szayel leaned forward from where he stood, hand gripping the railing that separated him from the scene before him. His eyes caught sight of blood pooling between the female's legs. He nearly jumped when she suddenly jerked and began screaming again.

She thrashed against the restraints forced down on her. By sheer strength alone, and an amazing force at that, she broke the chains that connected to the cuffs at her wrists and threw off the two assistants holding her down. They scrambled to their feet to resume their position, but Szayel held up a hand and bid them stay where they were.

He watched with eager, wide eyes, as the female clutched her stomach and bent forward onto her knees. She panted harshly, her voice too raw to scream anymore even though her mouth remained frozen in a wide gape. Even silent her screams reached Szayel's ears and made him shudder with joy. He bit into his lip a little harder, never daring to blink as the Arrancar continued to spill blood.

He moved to the side, following the line of the railing so he could stand at a position that would provide him a better angle. Almost directly behind her now, he saw two small hands push forth from between her legs. With remarkable strength, they seemed to push open the seams, making it gape wide like a lips of a bag. Pushing it open to a near impossible width, a head slowly pushed forth.

Slowly, slowly, a body emerged. When it came down to the waist, the small creature turned its head, taking in its surroundings. Eyes black and empty, with no sign of a pupil or iris, stared out at the world as rows of sharp teeth gaped open. A long, red tongue slipped out to lick at the blood that coated its face, its length long and forked like a snake's.

The creature, completely white from head to toe, gave another push until it fell onto the blood floor beneath it. The female Arrancar collapsed as soon as they were separated, her body weak and trembling. The little creature that came out of her scuttled on the floor, hands and feet slipping on the blood that coated the floor. It looked around again, hollow eyes seeming to suck everything into them.

When its gaze landed upon the female, it seemed to grin. Its lipless mouth pulled back as it bared its teeth at her. With a shriek, it pounced upon her and sank its teeth into her. The Arrancar, unable to scream, merely twisted in agony. Her face contorted into an expression of pure horror and pain as blood welled where she had been bitten. She tried to push the little creature away, but her efforts were for naught. Nothing could dislodge it from her body. Nothing could tear its teeth out of her skin as it ripped away at her piece by piece.

Szayel, shocked and delighted, gripped tightly at the railing. He gasped, drawing in a staggering breath before letting it out in a heartless laugh. It was such a cruel and elated sound, expressing his utmost joy at the scene before him.

How marvelous, how absolutely fascinating it was! Never had he seen anything like it. Never did he imagine the results to be this entertaining. Truly this was a new stepping stone in the field of science. Truly, this was a subject worth pursuing. He had to thank Aizen for giving him this project. It was by far the most engrossing of experiments he had committed himself to in a while.

Licking his lips, Szayel pushed away from the railing and barked at his two assistants to keep an eye on the little creature. He needed to keep it contained, lest there be unnecessary accidents. He also ordered them to keep an eye on the female, if she managed to survive after all that. Though it was a success, there was still much room for improvement.

He left the room, shutting the door behind himself as he swept past his lab. There were various experiments in place, each monitored by one of his assistants. Szayel had no current interest in them, too preoccupied by the one that Aizen had personally given him.

Speaking of the man, Szayel knew he had to speak with him. Now was a good time as any to make his report. He had no time to make an official paper report for Aizen to review this time, but he was certain that the Shinigami would forgive him this time around.

Leaving his lab, he followed the network of hallways that branched through all the main areas of Las Noches until he finally came to the room Aizen was notorious for being in. It wasn't hard to sense his presence, his reiatsu was as unique as the moon in the sky.

After a quick knock on the door, he entered and found Aizen sitting in one of his various chairs, reading what looked to be a document in his hand. Aizen lifted his head to look up at Szayel. "Just in time." He set the papers down next to him, lifting his brows slightly. "You look rather pleased."

Szayel smirked. "It was a success. The first subject to live through the incubation process and give birth. She lost a lot of blood, though. The little beast she gave birth to was vicious. I'm not certain if she'll live or not."

"You said 'she'?"

"Yes." Szayel nodded. "So far only female Arrancar have showed any substantial results. I haven't bothered with too many males. Who knows what would happen then."

Aizen shifted so that he leaned his elbow on the arm of the chair. Tilting his head, he rested his chin on the curve of his hand. "I want you to test it on males. I assume two weeks will be more than enough time?"

Szayel gave it some thought. "Yes. Though that still isn't a lot of time."

"I'm sure you can come up with some sort of solution."

The pink-haired Arrancar smirked. Of course he could. He could tweak and twist the drug in any fashion he pleased. Though frankly, he wasn't too sure what might come of the experiment if he used a male. The way he had designed the drug made it more receptive to females. To have to alter it in order to work for both sexes would be a challenge. Though, then again, it would be quite interesting to see what came out of it. And he had plenty of subjects he wanted to test it on. Low level Arrancar were so easily disposable...

"Two weeks, right?" At the curl of Aizen's mouth, Szayel knew his answer was yes. "I'll have good news for you then."

"I look forward to hearing about it."

Dismissed, Szayel turned and left the room. There was little more to say, and he didn't really have the patience to linger. He was much to eager too continue his experiment to continue this trivial conversation. With another smirk, he made his way back to the laboratory to pick up where he left off.


	2. Esclavo

_June 8, 2011_

Thanks for the reviews, guys. I'm rather amused by how people are feeling really scared for Ichigo. It also makes me happy to see some familiar names amongst my readers. Good to see you guys again! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

By the way, a special note to Nuke, if Szayel ever met Hojo, they would get married in a snap and have tons of bastard children together to further their experiments. Nevermind Jenova being a threat, I would never EVER trust anyone with a PHD again.

-x-

**Entre el Corazon y la Espada**

"**Between Heart and Sword"**

**Chapter II**

-x-

Two weeks was his limit. In two weeks, he had to alter the drug so that it would be receptive to males as well. To say this was an easy task would be a lie. Szayel may have seemed confident before Aizen, but he knew how complicated the drug was. It hadn't been easy simply getting it to this point. To possibly undo all that hard work just so that any sex could take it was a gamble.

Nevertheless, he poured himself into the research and doubled his experiments. His assistants produced a list of all potential hosts for testing out the drug, each one male as necessitated. Over a dozen male Arrancar were killed almost immediately after the drug had been administered into their bodies. Szayel cursed his disappointment, though he wasn't really all that surprised by the outcome. After all, he hadn't really designed it to favor the male body.

While originally the drug had been meant for not specific sex of host, the altercations had made it so. Aizen hadn't really specified that the drug had to be open for all hosts regardless the sex of said host, so Szayel hadn't assumed. But now that he was Szayel found himself in a predicament.

It was much easier to separate the soul in a female than it was a male with the design that he had used. Females, grown women to be more precise, had full functioning reproductive organs. They could give birth to children. Szayel knew the technique well enough; he had certain means of survival by using similar methods.

Though, to call it a separation of soul wasn't quite right. It was more like manifesting a physical representation of an Arrancar's most primal instincts. Their viciousness, their ruthlessness - the pure beast that lay within. It took all the components that made an Arrancar so dangerous, compacted it into a single body devoid of all unnecessary emotions or thoughts, and gave it a physical form. A living, breathing entity that was hungry all the time. The perfect monster fit for their army. All that remained was a means to control it.

Well, that and finding a way to create them from a male body. Male Arrancar, like human men, did not have wombs to carry the manifestation. They did not have the proper body parts to protect the beast as it went through incubation. While it was easy to imitate pregnancy with females, males had no such luxury. Szayel was stumped; he could not figure out a way to hurdle this obstacle.

For two weeks he tried various methods. For two weeks he built a pile of corpses as the drug destroyed one Arrancar after another. It was frustrating, to the point where Szayel often found himself biting at his nails and gritting his teeth. He often yelled at his lab assistants, pissed by their inability to help him where he really needed it.

Eventually, by some miracle or another, he managed to figure it out. What didn't exist could be created. Though there was no guarantee the male host would be alive after incubation was complete, at the very least a beast would be able to form a physical body and grow large enough to survive the outside world. If anything, there were always alternative ways to... give birth, so to speak, when the time was right. If the male host was strong enough to survive.

Perhaps if low level Arrancar could withstand the pain, maybe stronger Arrancar could as well. And if so, the possibility of producing even more ruthless beasts was also likely. Szayel was quite curious to know how it might work out. Though none of the more powerful Arrancar were willing to surrender themselves to his experiments, he had a feeling if he could just get one subject, he would value it immensely. He would carry out so many experiments... Ah, what joy! He tingled with excitement at the mere thought of creating a little beast from someone powerful.

He kept on experimenting, forging fake organs and altering the drug in a manner that would suit the male body. He was reluctant to destroy the one that was specifically for females, so he kept it on the side as a trophy of his hard work.

By the thirteenth day, Szayel finally managed to get a male Arrancar to accept he drug and start incubation. Though there was no time to see how well the Arrancar would withstand the hardships of incubation, at the very least Szayel could confirm that it was possible for males to become hosts.

As he watched the Arrancar in his cell, Szayel wrote up a report of his findings. It was about time he gave these little vicious creatures a name. He decided it would be Esclavo. It was quite appropriate, given the nature of the beasts.

Stabbing his pen into the paper, he dotted the end of his sentence. He set the pen aside to stare at the Arrancar, eyes narrowed as he watched his test subject cradle his abdomen, a pained look on his face. He hoped the pathetic bastard lived throughout the incubation process or he would be sorely pissed. No matter how painful it was to harvest the Esclavo inside him, he had to live at least until the incubation period was over. He could die afterward for all Szayel cared, but before then... no way. He wouldn't allow it.

-x-

Aizen stood before what looked to be a paper mache in the shape of a humanoid creature, with spine-like structures protruding from its back. While Szayel was busy experimenting with the Esclavo, there were other tasks that Aizen had to take care of in the meantime.

Now, he was in the process of creating what would be the newest addition to their army. It was a peculiar technique, one that wasn't generally applied when creating Espada. If anything, there was a part of him that simply couldn't stay still; while Szayel was off having fun, Aizen had yet to do a bit of playing of his own.

There was much to do and he had yet to utilize the Hogyoku in a manner that befitted its powers. The sphere was still far from perfect, but that was enough to do what he wished.

Carefully crafting the creature before him, he wrapped the bandages around the figure, shaping it as he went, adding layers upon necessity. When he tied off the last bandage, he stepped back and studied it. When he felt satisfactory about the outcome, he moved on to the next step.

It was while he was prepping that the door to the room was opened. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Szayel standing there, barely containing his smug smirk. Smiling back, Aizen returned to his task. "So?" he prompted.

Szayel stepped further into the room and stood a small distance away from him. "Success. Though I can't guarantee the male body will survive past incubation stage. There's no easy way to extract the Esclavo, not without cutting the host open at the very least. I can't really alter the body without administering a second drug on top of the current one. That alone is strenuous to kill."

Szayel sighed in disgusted disappointment. "They're so fragile... They don't really have the mechanics to survive such torture." His expression shifted into a twisted grin. "The percentage of agonizing death is multiplied tenfold."

"It won't be necessary to alter the body of the host. If the... Esclavo," Aizen said slowly, tasting the word; Szayel had used a rather interesting and surprisingly appropriate title, "is strong enough to survive, that is good enough. What happens to the host after that is none of my concern, but he must survive until then." Though it would be interesting to see if the host could survive the harvesting of the Esclavo when the time came, Aizen wasn't going to bet on that happening.

Szayel lifted a hand and made a vague gesture, shrugging. "Oh he'll survive. If these low levels can survive, I imagine if you try putting it in someone stronger it'll work too."

He reached into the pocket of his hakama and produced a small sphere encased in a small clear tube. He held it up between his fingers and looked at it in the light. "I wouldn't recommend putting it in anyone weak. The outcome would be pathetic. But someone strong..." He smirked before holding out the tube to Aizen. "This is the finished product. I can't say it's perfect, but it'll do."

Aizen paused in what he was doing to look at the tube in the Espada's hand. He held out his hand, and Szayel gave it to him. He turned the tube over in his palm, observing the little ball that was settled at the bottom. "Interesting," he murmured.

"It needs to be taken orally."

Aizen's brows arched slightly. "Anything else I might need to know?"

Szayel shrugged. "Not really. But I haven't taken the current host to full term so I don't know if there might be any complications along the way. It would be best to keep a close eye on whoever you have that planned for." He was more than happy to volunteer himself as caretaker of whoever Aizen had in mind for such a dangerous drug.

"Perhaps," Aizen mused before pocketing the tube. "I will consider it." He turned his attention back to the bandaged one before him. "Continue watching the one you have now. Report to me anything you might find significant."

"Yes, Aizen-sama."

Aizen waited for the other man to leave before returning to his work. For a time he was left on his own to contemplate and complete the first steps of the ritual. Molding and shaping, pouring all the required parts and pieces into one container.

It was much like making stew or soup. Each ingredient was to be finely prepared before he could even begin to flavor the broth. The meat was to be sectioned into sizable pieces - equal, if possible. The vegetables had to be of similar, equal proportions complimenting the meal and filled with nutrients. It had to be at the right temperature. Each ingredient had a certain cooking time and method with which it was cooked. Done improperly and the whole thing tasted awful.

Aizen had hopes for using this new Espada as part of his plans. Each of his army had a specific role to be played and he knew this one would be a wonderful addition to the lot. As he finished the preparations, the door to the room was opened. Glancing, he spotted his various Espada gathering around to watch. He had invited them earlier to bear witness to the birth of their comrade. Though it was clear that not all were interested, a handful had decided to show up nevertheless.

Presenting the Hogyoku as the time came to spark life in that bound puppet, once more the doors opened and drew his attention. As he suspected, the last of the party had come to join them. Ulquiorra Cifer and Yami Llargo. Aizen slowly smiled as they stepped inside. "So you came, Ulquiorra. Yami. We were just finishing here."

The other Espada present in the room glanced at the pair with various looks of disinterest before returning their attention to Aizen and the puppet at his feet. Ulquiorra took the necessary steps to enter the room and stand at a reasonable distance away from the stage which the other Espada had made for Aizen. "How is the current status of the Hogyoku's awakening?" Ulquiorra dared to ask.

Aizen's gaze was settled on the sphere itself. "Approximately fifty percent. As to be expected. But of course there's no way to no for certain if unless you are in direct contact with it. Since it was sealed soon after its birth, and never released after that, it's quite possible no one else knows. Not even Kisuke Urahara," he mused, almost to himself.

He reached forward into the small container which held the Hogyoku and let the tip of his finger come into contact with the orb. The very moment the two touched, the orb seemed to swirl with life and grab onto his finger. The corner of Aizen's mouth curled. "Now if it were to come into contact with someone surpassing ordinary Captain-level strength..."

He turned his gaze to the puppet he had so carefully crafted and directed a stream of power from the Hogyoku to it. A flash of light, almost blinding, surrounded the craft and shattered the cradle which he had made for it. "Yes, it would almost be like it was fully awakened..." he murmured and smiled as the wrapping crumbled away from what would be the new Espada.

Right away, he recognized that the Espada lacked a few key qualities that were evident in the ones that surrounded him. This Espada was incomplete, in ways, but that was the price of forcing its birth as opposed to searching for an Arrancar that might naturally have the skill and power to obtain such a rank. Well, he supposed he would just have to live with the results and tweak his research for the future.

"So... do you think you can tell us your name, comrade?" he requested of the newly made Espada as he drew his hand away from the Hogyoku, separating the connection between them.

The frail looking blond crouched on the floor, slowly turning dazed eyes toward Aizen. "Wonderweiss... Margela..."

Aizen quietly mused to himself as he studied Wonderweiss' form. After a moment, he tilted his head to regard Ulquiorra. "Do you remember the orders I gave to you a month ago?"

Ulquiorra lifted his gaze. "Yes."

Aizen slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the gift Szayel had given him. He held it out toward the green-eyed Espada. "Take this. And go." As Ulquiorra stepped forward to accept the small case Aizen was offering him, Aizen smiled. "I'll give you the power to take command on this mission. Take whomever you wish."

He paused briefly before adding, "Ah yes, would you like to join them?" His gaze slid up to one of the various tall spires that decorated the room. Hidden in the shadows, almost like a cat that lurked in the trees, separating itself from the rabble below, was Grimmjow Jaegerjaques. He had recently been demoted from his spot as punishment from Tozen who saw it as justice for his disobedience to Aizen's order.

Aizen was humored by how the interaction between the two. He let them squabble without stopping them. He especially enjoyed seeing Grimmjow sulk, since it was such a rare emotion for him. He was very much like the animal of his released form. Feisty like a cat, graceful despite all his rough edges and dirty fur, seeking and rejecting attention in the same stroke. He was always quick to sink his claws into whoever came near, even if that person offered nothing but good things for him. And he always seemed to enjoy playing with prey that could potentially bite him. His interest in a certain young Shinigami was to be expected, and as master of such a restless cat, he thought it only fair to let the kitten play with its toy.

Grimmjow's eyes narrowed in contempt before pointedly looking away. Had he a tail, Aizen wondered if it would be flicking back and forth in agitation. Lips curling into a smile, Aizen nodded to Ulquiorra and dismissed him so that he might carry out his plans.

-x-

Orihime Inoue stood firm, her hands extended before her, fingers cut into the shape of a diamond. With a quick draw of breath, she readied herself for Rukia Kuchiki's attack when a sudden shout from the cliff above brought them both to a halt. She looked up to see Rukia's squad captain, Jushirou Ukitake, shouting down at them. "Kuchiki!"

Rukia, who was currently working as her sparring partner, abruptly looked up to the man who overlooked their training. "Yes?"

"We just received a report! Those with kido should be opening the door now!" It wasn't a mystery what he was talking about. Since the start of the war, all of Seireitei had been keeping an eye on the activities of the human world. Should there be an invasion from their enemies, Shinigami of substantial rank and strength were to be deployed to the front lines to defend the living. "Hurry to the Senkaimon!"

Without hesitation, Rukia sheathed her zanpakuto and darted towards their squad's headquarters to jump through the gate. "Got it!"

Orihime, startled, stood there in the middle of their training field. She too knew what the signal meant. She came here to Soul Society to train for this very reason. With her home now in danger, she planned to join them at the front lines and do what only she was capable of doing. "Wait, Kuchiki-san! I'll come too!"

Hearing Orihime call after her, Rukia stopped. She didn't mean to forget about the young girl, but now simply wasn't the time to be worrying about her. Half turning to look back at her, Rukia shook her head. "You can't, Inoue." At the shocked look, Rukia shook her head. "Without a Hell Butterfly, you'll just be taken to the Dangai."

The Dangai was the path that Orihime had taken when she first traveled to Soul Society with Ichigo and the others. It was a long, dangerous path. Without assistance, one could easily get swallowed up by the tunnel itself and fung into who knew where. Rukia had taken her along the path when they arrived here for training, but right now she couldn't do that. There wasn't enough time to spare. As much as she hated leaving her behind, she simply had no choice.

Orihime's gaze lowered as she recognized that she couldn't just jump into action. Rukia gave a small smile. "Don't look like that. Just because I'm going first... Don't worry. I'll wait for you."

A bit surprised, but certainly relieved that Rukia wasn't abandoning her, Orihime met the other girl's gaze and nodded. "Alright." She watched as Rukia fled their training grounds. She knew that while she was at a time disadvantage, she would try her best to meet up with Rukia and join her on the battlegrounds.

Turning to Ukitake, she gave him a determined look and nodded, signalling she was ready to go. The man met her gaze and nodded back before leading the way. They joined up with a pair of Shinigami and with courteous thank you, Orihime followed them through Senkaimon. On their lead, she began to run through the Dangai, making her way towards the living world.

Yet as they came halfway through the tunnel, something seemed to shift in the atmosphere around them. Orihime felt it, a ripping in the natural fabric that made up the Dangai. But where it was coming from, she couldn't quite tell. Looking about her, she wasn't the least bit suspecting that the source would actually be behind her.

"Oh? Only two people for protection?"

Skidding to a halt, she whipped around just as a fissure appeared and yawned open to reveal the gate of Garganta. And beyond it's doors... Ulquiorra. "Contrary to my expectations, Soul Society is no longer competent. It seems they are not aware that the danger is highest during times of travel."

Eyes widening at the creeping darkness that shrouded him, and the power that was so carefully contained yet still so visible, seething and writhing like a shadow come to life, Orihime froze in both shock and horror at the enemy before her. She could not even dare to look away from those pure green eyes that pierced her very soul.


	3. Precio a Pagar

_July 1, 2011_

Thanks again everyone! You have no idea how awesome it is to read all your reviews and see people put this story on alert or favorites. Oh, and I should note, some contents of this chapter fits in parallel with the original series. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get flack for it, but it's still important for the rest of the plot. Rest assured, however, this is the only chapter that will be like this. If you want to talk about it, argue with me on whatever you want, feel free to send me a message.

-x-

**Entre el Corazon y la Espada**

**"Between Heart and Sword"**

**Chapter III**

-x-

Grimmjow stared down at the neighborhood, lazily scanning the area. He knew that Shinigami bastard was around here somewhere, it was just a matter of where. It wasn't exactly a walk in the park to pinpoint, but that didn't really matter; he knew that even if he couldn't find that candy-haired boy, said boy would come looking for him anyway. They had a score to settle, and he knew Ichigo Kurosaki wasn't the type to let someone one-up him in battle.

Sure enough, it took only a couple minutes before he finally felt Ichigo's reiatsu rocket towards him. Snorting at how predictable he was, Grimmjow waited as the boy came to a screeching halt before him. He looked the same. He felt the same too. Grimmjow had thought the boy would have improved in the month they had not seen each other but it didn't seem like the case.

Scoffing, he shrugged off Ichigo's transformation into Bankai. "Did you forget? Even with Bankai you couldn't even touch me."

Ichigo sneered. "Did you forget? I gave you that wound."

The edges of Grimmjow's mouth were pinched, clearly unamused. He didn't forget. It was the first time that anyone's ever left a scar on him. Begrudgingly he had to commend Ichigo for his accomplishment. Though they were far from equal, it at least proved that Ichigo wasn't completely worthless. He was mildly entertaining, at best.

"One more thing, Grimmjow. What happened to your arm?"

Grimmjow's mouth tightened slightly before he twisted his expression into a haughty grin. "I got rid of it. I figured I don't really need two arms to kill you, so why bother?" Though he could laugh it off, it burned that he was one less of a limb. He didn't think he needed it to take care of Ichigo, but the fact that he had been stripped of his status and punished by that bastard Tousen was what really irked him. He always hated Tousen.

He was truly a blind and faithful dog. He thought he knew everything, that it was in his right to dole out punishment like he was some sort of knight in shining armor when really he wasn't any better than the rest of them. Aizen didn't care for him any more than he cared for the rest of them. Only idiots thought they could even stand in that man's shadow. No, the only one who really deserved that was Gin. And Grimmjow hated him too.

Snorting disdainfully at Ichigo who thought he could do so much better than him, Grimmjow couldn't help but taunt, "Go ahead and show me what you got! If you don't give it your all, you're gonna die!"

Ichigo glared at him so darkly, Grimmjow grinned at the sight of it. He was angry, beyond pissed, and even though Ichigo was no better than a talking punching bag, that was good enough to help him vent. "I'll show you what I've got!" the boy snapped back.

Ichigo brought his hand over his face and pulled down. The energy that wrapped around him was dark and stank of rot. Grimmjow hesitated for a second as he recognized the taint that filtered in the boy's reiatsu. It was just like his own. It was the reiatsu of an Arrancar. Startled enough to stop and stare, Grimmjow's eyes widened at the unmistakable mask that covered Ichigo's face. Even the color of his eyes were inverted, reminiscing that of a Hollow's.

Something sparked in Grimmjow just then as he looked at the boy. The smell of darkness was so thick and concentrated around Ichigo it was almost suffocating. Never before had he seen a Shinigami with so bright a reiatsu become so utterly poisoned with the reiatsu of an Arrancar. It was as if two impossible opposites melded together, but instead of blending into a soft grey, they twined about each other like a spiral.

It was as if Ichigo had become the epitome of the term fallen angel. A creature of light and good shrouded by darkness and evil.

Grimmjow didn't know what to do. Ichigo had turned into something so unfathomable that he wasn't sure whether to tear him apart or keep him at a cautious distance. The spark that had started in the center of his chest twined its way down to the pit of his stomach and for a moment he couldn't think of anything but how frighteningly fascinating this boy was.

It took him by surprise when Ichigo suddenly surged forward, and bringing up his sword was just about all he could do to stop himself from being sliced in half. He wouldn't quite stay focused on the battle as he stared into those copper and gold-flecked eyes, so cold that it was almost alike he was staring at a different person.

Who was he? Who was this person standing before him? Where did he come from? Where was he hiding till now? The spark blossomed in Grimmjow's gut and even though he was caught face first with one of the boy's attacks, he just had to grin. He couldn't quite explain what it was he was feeling, but if he had to choose the closest word would be excitement. Though he knew it was more complicated than that.

As blood dripped down his face, he panted harshly. Even the attack wasn't the same. It wasn't like the regular Getsuga Tenshou that had marred his chest a month go. This new little trick that Ichigo was so strangely familiar and yet so foreign, Grimmjow wanted to see what else it could do. "What is this, Shinigami? What the fuck is this?"

Ichigo sighed. Even his voice was different. It really was like facing a whole different person, despite the fact that it wasn't. "I don't have time to explain."

Irritated that he might be denied an answer, denied a name for whatever it was he was staring at, for whatever it was he was feeling, Grimmjow's lips curled into an unhappy snarl. Though he managed to get caught off guard by Ichigo's speed, he swung around and fired a Cero in retaliation. Without missing a beat, he soared above the boy while he was distracted and came down hard with his sword.

Ichigo snarled something about it being useless to fight him in his condition, but Grimmjow wasn't paying attention because just then, the white mask that covered the boy's face shattered into countless pieces. Just as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished. The darkness that called to him disappeared like a puff of smoke. And once again Grimmjow was shocked.

But instead of being excited, a great wave of disappointment washed over him. How dare Ichigo fall so short of meeting his expectations. How dare he ruin this wonderful feeling inside him. Grinning, though it wasn't out of joy but malice, Grimmjow pushed through the boy's defenses and sent him plummeting back to earth with a single hard swing of his sword.

How pitiful. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Ichigo had raised his expectations, got him hoping, wanting, but then he stumbled and fell and only gave him disappointing results. Seeing him like this, seeing how far he still was from being on equal grounds with him... it was disgusting. Grimmjow lost his appetite. It was time to finish this. If Ichigo wasn't going to be entertaining, then there was no point in keeping him around.

-x-

"D-Do you have some business with me?" Orihime trembled, but despite her fear of the one who stood before her, she couldn't budge. Not when there were two Shinigami next to her. She had to stand firm and protect them. If at all possible, she wanted to avoid any needless bloodshed.

"That's right. I do," Ulquiorra replied smoothly and flicked his hand. Without warning, the Shinigami to her right suddenly spurted blood. With a terrified, painful scream, he collapsed to the ground at the lost of the left side of his body.

Sucking in a sharp breath at the sight of the man's mangled body, Orihime quickly touched the pins in her hair. "Souten Kishun!" A light flashed and a pale yellow dome formed over the injured Shinigami, reverting the damage that had been done. This was exactly what she didn't want to happen. Quickly turning to the other Shinigami who had accompanied her on this trip, she shouted at him desperately, "Run away! Please get away from here!"

But the man hesitated. Despite the obvious danger that faced them, he couldn't just abandon his job.

Orihime only grew more desperate to save his life. "I'll be fine, so please go!"

It didn't really matter how much she pleaded or wanted to save him, nothing could stop Ulquiorra from slicing him down too. Gasping in horror, she extended the dome over both of them and curled her hands into fists as she watched her magic slowly go to work. Every part of her body trembled with fear, and her mind screamed at her to run far, far away, but her heart and her loyalty to those around her kept her standing firm.

She turned around to face Ulquiorra, glaring at him for the despicable act he had just committed. Ulquiorra stared back at her impassively, his gaze slowly traveling from her to the dome and back again. "Impressive," he commented. "Your powers extend even that far?" Though he worded it like a question, he wasn't looking for an answer. Staring straight at her, Ulquiorra issued his first command. "You will do something for me."

Orihime tensed, her fright escalating at the thought of being forced to do something she might not like. Who knew what Ulquiorra would have her do, be it kill someone or lure them into a trap or worse. Ready to say no and back away, Orihime was cut off before she even opened her mouth as Ulquiorra spoke again.

"You will say yes. If you do not, your friends will die." He called up an image to show her the battles that took place in Karakura's skies. The struggle they each faced. Seeing the shift in her expression, he continued, "The decision to determine whether they live or not rests on your head. This is not a negotiation, this is an order."

Orihime's mouth pulled into a thin, grim line at the serious look he gave her. He wasn't joking. And frankly, he wasn't really threatening either because she believed he could really do it. She didn't have to guess to see he would really kill them. Daring to look away to stare up at the images of her friends caught in battle, she paused at the sight of Ichigo as he was being tossed down. He was covered in blood and he looked so terribly tired. She didn't know how he got that way, but she feared what might happen to him if this continued.

"Aizen-sama desires your assistance and I am to assure he has it," Ulquiorra said, interrupting her thoughts. "You _will _do what I tell you."

Closing her eyes, a bitter, aching feeling twisting her heart, Orihime weighed her choices. When she opened them again, she saw Ichigo lying there, unable to defend himself. Squeezing her eyes shut again, unable to look at such a picture, unable to see him hurt again and again and again, she bowed her head and gave a small nod.

Ulquiorra stared at her a moment before stepping forward and continuing with the mission that Aizen had set out for him to do. He pulled his hand from his pocket and held out a simple bracelet. "I will give this to you. As long as you wear this, there will be a special reimaku that will form around you. Your existence will only be recognized by us Arrancar. At the same time, it will allow you the ability to pass through matter. Do not take it off until told."

He put his hand back in his pocket and pulled something else out, this time it was the tube that Aizen had handed him. He held it out to her. "You are to give this to the Shinigami called Ichigo Kurosaki orally. The bracelet will ensure no one will see you, no hear you, but do not get caught regardless. If he realizes what you have done, I will return to permanently amend your mistake." And as if to reassure her, he added, "He will not die from consuming its contents."

Orihime wasn't convinced, but she hesitantly held out her hand so that he could place the tube in her palm. She stared down at it before looking up at him again as he turned around and headed towards the gaping mouth of the Garganta. He didn't even look back at her as he left, as if she wasn't worth worrying about until later, but he did give her a few parting words. "When you are done, you will find somewhere else to stay. You will not go home nor will you visit your friends or any of the Shinigami while you wear that bracelet. You will be told when you can return to your normal life." And with that, he left.

Curling her hand around the tube, she turned to face the two Shinigami who had been injured because of her. The extent of their injuries horrified her and made her exceedingly sad. To think that so much effort would be put into cornering her. She didn't doubt that Ulquiorra would do more than what he already did just to complete his mission. Squeezing her eyes shut, hot tears trailed down her cheeks as she considered the betrayal of her actions.

-x-

Ichigo wheezed as he remained crouched on the ground. He stared up at Shinji Hirako who stood over him, his sword braced against his shoulder. The blond Vaizard clicked his tongue, the corner of his mouth turned up in a half sneer. "I told you, didn't I?" With a shake of his head he put his sword away before reaching over to help him up.

He was taken back to his body and immediately told to rest. No more training would commence for the rest of the day. After an attack like that, Ichigo was in no position to continue stressing himself out. Hours passed by as things were put back into order around Karakura. Too exhausted to stay conscious anymore, he passed out soon after returning to the Vaizard hideout. He didn't wake up after that.

Rukia Kuchiki sat down in his room, occupying a space on the floor by the closet to watch over him. She held a cell phone in her hand, frowning slightly. She was a little bothered by the fact that she couldn't reach Orihime at all. Not her house phone, not even her cell phone. She wondered if perhaps Orihime was still in Soul Society and that the reception between the two worlds was a little fuzzy.

She glanced over at Ichigo as he slept in his bed and sighed softly. It bothered her to see the sort of people that Ichigo was training with. Their abilities, even their reiatsu was strange. Almost frightening. It reminded her too much of their enemies. But because Ichigo had trusted them, she forced herself to push aside whatever doubts she had in favor of his health and safety.

But something still bothered her. Why had the Arrancar pulled back when it seemed so certain they would win? What exactly did they accomplish by coming here? Shaking her head, Rukia just leaned back against the wall and banished that answerless thought. When she heard a soft clatter and knock at Ichigo's door, she got up and opened it to see what was going on. There stood Ichigo's sisters, Yuzu and Karin, holding a tray of food and wearing sheepish smiles. They asked if they could eat in the room and watch over Ichigo. Rukia couldn't possibly deny them and so invited them inside to eat by his bed.

They chatted a little, softly talking to each other as they ate. Rukia watched them, smiling softly at the bond these siblings had for each other. When their energies ran low and ushering them to their own beds seemed like an impossible thing to do, she left them there to stay with their brother. Gathering blankets from the closet, she bundled them up and let them be, leaving the room to take care of other matters.

The girls fell sound asleep, the worry that had seemed permanent on their faces now finally gone as they slumbered deeply and peacefully by the brother they cared for so dearly. Minutes passed, then an hour, and all three Kurosaki children were sound asleep in the quiet of a single room. But soon enough, the curtain of Ichigo's window shifted a little, as if disturbed.

First a hand, then a head, then the rest of a body passed into the room as if the wall and glass weren't even there. Orihime blinked behind herself, rather surprised at how easily she had come through. Looking ahead, she spotted Ichigo in bed, sleeping and recovering. The silly grin she normally wore was gone from her face as she stared down at him, covered in bandages.

"To be honest," she said softly, though Ichigo couldn't hear her anyway, "I didn't want to do it." She looked around the room, the place that Ichigo called his home. She'd never really been here before, never really had the privilege to step inside. There was something sacred about this place. "But..."

Her lips pulled into a tight line as they started to quiver. It hurt her to think that she would have to betray him like this. To follow the orders of their enemy for the sake of saving his life. She didn't know how long she would have to keep the bracelet on, but she had a feeling it wasn't for a short period. She only hoped that by the time she could take it off, the others would have forgiven her for her transgression.

Lightly touching Ichigo's hand, almost afraid of him waking up, she sighed softly when he didn't even twitch. Quietly, she studied his face. It seemed that only in sleep was he really at peace. He always seemed to carry some sort of burden, and he never let anyone else take some of the load off his shoulders. She wished he would share a bit, relax a little, let himself rely on them a little more, but he never did. Despite being the center of attention, the leader of the pack, their greatest friend, he always had this lone wolf attitude. It pained her to see him get hurt again and again because they weren't strong enough to support him, because he always took their share of the pain on himself. How selfish and caring he was. How utterly kind and heartfelt.

Pressing her lips together, she leaned back as tears started to blur her vision. She sniffled and wiped them away. To think, she was going to do something against his will. She didn't want to hurt him, didn't want to put more weight on his shoulders or make him suffer, but she had to do this to save him.

"I'm sorry. I'm terrible, I know." She pressed back against the window by his bed, putting space between them as if she feared what might happen if she touched him again. It was already bad enough that she was here. "I only wanted to save you. I only wanted to save everyone. I'm kinda useless. I'm always getting in the way..."

She sniffled and reached into her pocket, holding the tube Ulquiorra had given her. Uncapping it, she stepped up to Ichigo's bed and lightly touched the sides of his mouth so that it opened. Carefully, she tipped the contents inside until everything slipped past his lips. Once it was gone, she pulled away and pocketed the empty tube in her pocket.

With a weak, trembling smile, she looked at him still sleeping there so peacefully, memorizing his face, his smell, before leaning back. "Please forgive me..." she whispered, though it pained her to say it.

-x-

Ichigo groaned and turned over onto his side. The blanket got caught somewhere, forcing him to stop before he could finish the move. Scowling, he reached for it and gave a tug, but it still wouldn't give. With a sleepy grumble, he tugged harder, until it finally snapped free. The force of his tugging sent him rolling forward, toppling off the side of the bed. He crashed onto the floor in an ungraceful heap, face first.

"Ugh..." he grumbled and untangled himself from the sheets. He sat up and rubbed the side of his head where he smacked into the floor. "Was it a dream? Damn, I even fell out of bed. How lame." He lowered his hand and sighed, rolling his shoulders back. He expected himself to be full of kinks and sores and aches, but to his surprise, he was pain free.

Looking down at himself, he lifted his hand and flexed it. It was as good as new. He unraveled the bandage and didn't even see a scar from where Grimmjow had stabbed him. "I'm healed?" Frowning, he closed his eyes and searched for the signature of whoever it was that had made him better again. The soft peach colored glow that enveloped him was undoubtedly Orihime's. But... that wasn't all. Something else was there. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. "This...?"

Just then, his window slid open. Looking over his shoulder, Ichigo was surprised to see Toushiro Hitsugaya crouched in his window in Shinigami form. "That reiatsu is Orihime's, isn't it? Come quickly. We have an emergency situation."

Startled, Ichigo was about to ask what was going on, but Hitsugaya was already turning around. Wasting no time, he sought for Kon and popped the soul candy in his mouth. Once in his Shinigami form, he leaped out the window and followed the white-haired Captain back to their base. More specifically, Orihime's apartment.

Upon arrival, he spotted the other Shinigami who had joined Hitsugaya in the mission of protecting Karakura from the human world side. Even Rukia was there. Ichigo gave a sweeping glance to them all and saw the grave expressions on their faces. He looked to Rukia and gave her a questioning stare. She only stared back grimly.

Hitsugaya set down his sword and looked to Rangiku Matsumoto. He asked her for an update, and she gestured to the large monitor on the far end of the room. "Then patch us through."

She nodded and made the connection with Seireitei. The monitor crackled before an image cleared up and there appeared Ukitake on the other side. Surprised that they weren't facing the Head Commander, Genryusai Shigenkuni Yamamoto, Hitsugaya was quick to question the other Captain's presence. "Why?"

Ukitake wore no smile. "I asked to switch places with him."

"Again. Why?"

"Because I was the last who saw Orihime Inoue when she entered the Senkaimon on her trip back to the living world."

Rukia wore an expression of surprise. She hadn't seen Orihime since they parted ways. Even after calling her, she thought perhaps the girl was still in Seireitei and that the connection between the two worlds was too fuzzy. She thought maybe that's why they couldn't get into contact. But to hear she had left, but never showed her face here in the living world...

"Judging from your reactions, I take it she never arrived."

Ichigo was quick to interrupt, not entirely sure what was going on. "Wait. What's going on? What happened with Inoue?" It didn't make any sense to him that Orihime would be gone when he felt her presence all over him.

Ukitake exhaled softly. "From our side of the story, the two guards who had escorted her through the Senkaimon came back alive after being attacked. But according to their testimony, it is believed that Orihime Inoue has either been captured or even killed by the Arrancar." At the stricken looks he faced across the monitor, he shook his head. "I know, I don't want to believe it either, but we cannot rule out the possibility. After being attacked, the guards don't remember what happened. When they came to, Orihime was already gone."

Ichigo couldn't believe it. He couldn't accept that sort of explanation. He knew what he felt, and there was no mistake that she had been with him. "Bullshit! She can't be dead. Look at me, I don't even have a scratch on me! Her reiatsu is all over me! How can she be dead when I'm like this?"

Just then, a voice cut into his rant. "I see... Then that's a shame." Recognizing that tone, Ichigo immediately stopped as Yamamoto came into view from somewhere off screen. "If what you're saying is true... then that would certainly mean she's alive. However, that would also mean she is now a traitor."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "What?"

"Were she taken by force, she wouldn't have had the opportunity to visit you and heal your wounds. The fact that she did means she left of her own choice."

He couldn't believe it. Ichigo couldn't believe a single thing this old fart was saying. How could Orihime willingly go to the enemy's side? She was too tender for that. Too innocent. Too kind. She couldn't hurt a fly. To actually go to Hueco Mundo freely was just absurd. But then why wasn't she here? Why did she leave behind this trail of mysteries? He had to find out. She was his friend. Whatever the truth was, he was going to find out.

-x-

Just down the block, Orihime stood by a lamp post. She stared at her home where she knew everyone to gather. She couldn't return because of what Ulquiorra had told her, even though she longed to tell the truth. The people who walked down the street couldn't hear here, nor see her. Even if she said hello or called out to to them, like the owner of Mister Doughnuts, there wasn't even a twitch of recognition to show she was there.

Biting her lower lip, Orihime turned away and walked down the street. Until someone came to tell her she could take it off, Orihime was nothing more than a ghost in this town. It was as if she'd been erased. It was the appropriate punishment for a traitor like her, for putting one of her dearest friends in danger. With a bitter smile, she continued on down the road, hoping to find some way to take her mind off this torment. And maybe a way to fix the mistake she'd made.


End file.
